Tube mill



L. S. HEYM TUBE MILL Nov. 8, 1960 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1955oQ N 4 x mm.

i l I 6 INVENTOR.

LOTHAR s HEYM ATTORNEYS L. S. HEYM Nov. 8, 1960 TUBE MILL 7 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed April 26, 1955 c INVENTOR. LQTHAR s. HEYM www 3w L @NN .I imm nerd.-

ATTORNEYS L. S. HEYM TUBE MILL Nov. 8, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April26, 1955 L. S. HEYM Nbv. s, 1960 TUBE MILL 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April26, 1955 INVENTOR. LOTHAR S. HEYM MAL ATTORNEYS L. S. HEYM Nov. 8, 1960TUBE MILL 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 26. 1955 INVENTOR. LOTHAR S. HEYMATTOR YS Nov. 8, 1960 L. s. HEYM 2,959,077

TUBE MILL Filed April 26, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet e FIG. 8

JNVENTOR. LOTHAR S. HEYM ATTORNEYS L. S. HEYM TUBE MILL Nov. 8, 1960Filed April 26. 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 FIG. IO

INVENTOR. LOT HAR S. HEYM B Y UMMQM ATTORNEY .Lothar S. Heym,

niteti TUBE MILL Youngstown, Ohio, assignorto Bliss Company, Canton,Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 26,.1955, Ser.-No. 503,894 1Claim. (Cl. 80-43) 'This inventionrlates to rolling mills, and,inparticnlar, to rollingmills employed in .rolling seamless tubing inwhich the tubing is elongated, reducedindiameter, and increased indensity.

'It is usual practice in thetube rollingart topro-"vide a mill composedof a numberof sizing roll standseach having a pair of sizing rollsjournaled therein for rotation about axes which are skew with respect toeach other. 'The invention is not concerned with the-purpose of soaligning sizingrolls, but sufliceit to say that .recognized'desirousresultsare obtained with this arrangement of :rolls. Because.of their .axial nonuniformity with respect to other mechanisms of the.mills, :presently known means for providing driving power .to the rollshave not been entirely satisfactory. One method of powering sizing rollsincludes the utilization of electric motors positioned adjacent eachroll of a .stand vand universal joint means coupling .the rolls to themotors. The required angularity of the universal joint .means betweenthe rolls and the motors inherently incorporates a variable :angularacceleration and deceleration .in the driven rolls which is repetitive.every revolution. Not only is'it more desirable to rotate the siz'ngrolls .at:a constant uniform velocity, but the-type ofuniversahconnection required in :a mill stand .is very expensive. It istherefore desirable to eliminate universal connections wherever possiblethe undesirable pulsating type of drive which they provide. It isanimpo-rtant object of the invention, therefore, to provide novel drivemeans for tubemill sizing rolls which eliminates the need for universaljoint.connections between the rolls and the motors and which imparts adrive to the rolls which can he maintained -at constant angularvelocity.

'In operation, these pairs of rolls are usually .aligned and set so thateach succeeding ,pair of rolls imparts .a furthertreduction to the tubeorthe like which 'is'being rolled. 'Tube mills are usually designedtohandle various sizes of tubes and this necessitates realign'ng .therolls .to provide a proper -roll pass. After rolls have been inoperation for a ,period, they normally heat up and the-roll mountingshafts tend to expand axially. If no provision is made for thisaxial'expansion, an .overload may be imparted to the anti-frictionthrust hearings in which the .shafts .arejournaled. It is anotherimportant obejct of the invention to provide novel sizlngroll mountingmeans which automatically compensate for axial expansion of the sizingroll shafts.

It .is ageneral object of the invention to provide an improved rollingmill which is rapid and efficient .in the manufacturingof seamlesstubing in which a tube may be'treated by being passed between a set ofcross .orskew rolls.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of .atube reducingmill which is proficient in its operation and yetis less complex in itsstructure than present known tube-reducing mills; the provision of anovel tube reducing mill entry table; the provision of improved for costconsiderations as well as for atent 'sion of novel means'for drivingmounting and adjusting means forthe sizing :rolls eof ta tube reducingmill; the provision of improve'd 'means'zfor conveying seamless tubesinto a tube reducing mill'stand and for discharging a tube from thesaidstandythe provision of improved means for adjusting the elevation oftube reducing mill entry and exit tables; and the proviand adjustingthe'conveyor rolls of the entry and exit stands of .a tub'e'reducin'gmill.

The features of this invention which are 'believediitoabe novel are setforth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, 'both .as to :its organization and use together with theforegoing and further objects and advantages thereof, may :best beunderstood by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings :in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the entry table of a preferredembodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a continuation of Figure l at'1ine-:a--:a and is anelevational view of a tube reducingmillistand, sizing roll drive means,and exit table.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the entry table shown .in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a continuation of the entry table shown in Figure 3 taken attheline aa and including a plan view of the tube reducing mill stand,drive means, and exit table shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the mill:sta'nd, partially insection, to better show the sizing vroll'jou'rnal and adjusting means.

Figure 6 is a sectionalview of .a mill standitaken on the line 6-6 ofFigure 4.

Figure 7 is an elevational view, partially 'inasection, of the tableadjusting means taken on the .line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the conveyor rolladjusting means secured to the undersides of the mill entry and exittables.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view,,partlylin section, taken onthe line 99 of Figure IO-showing one portion of a tube trough employedwith a preferred embodiment of the invention, and,

Figure 10 is yet another elevational view, in section, of anotherportion of the tube trough usedwith the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and initially to Figure1, a preferred embodiment of .thetube mill comprises an entry'table 10on one'side of a'mill stand 12 which has a pair of cross sizing rolls1-4 and 16 journaled therein (see'Figure 6), an exit table '18 onutheopposite side of the mill stand'to that of the entry table, and motordrive means 20 and 22 connected to thezsizing rolls.

The description of the invention will beginwith the entry table andproceed to the mill stand,the sizing rolls journaled therein, the drivemeans for the sizingyrolls, and thereafter the exit table.

Entry table The entry table 10 comprises a frame composed of structuralsteel members 24, 26, and 28 (Figure 7) suitably disposed to support aseries of tube supporting troughs, generally indicated at 30, spacedhorizontally apart to provide room to mount a tube convey'orroll 32between each pair of tube supporting troughs. The conveyor rolls 32 arealigned at a slight angle or skew to the longitudinal axis 34 (Figure 3)of the tube mill, and are individually carried on identical upper arms36 of bell cranks 38. The lower arms 40 of the bell cranks 38 extendbeneath the frame of the entry table 10 for pivotal interconnection bymeans of link members 42 to a two-way air cylinder powered reciprocatingmechanism 44 secured to the underside of the end of the table adjacentthe mill stand 12. The purpose of placing the cnveyor rolls 44 at anangle to the entry table is to impart both forward and rotary movementto a tube carried thereon until the tube reaches the mill stand 12,whereinafter the sizing rolls 14 and 16 take over from the entry table.

The rolls 32 are journaled in brackets or yokes 46 integrally secured tothe free ends of bell crank arms 36. Once the tube is engaged by thesizing rolls 14 and 16, the bell crank arms 36 are pivoted downwardlyfrom the pass line of the tube, carrying the rolls 32 downwardlytherewith. The bell cranks are caused to pivot upwardly and downwardlyin unison by means of the pneumatic cylinder mechanism 44 secured to theunderside of the entry table, as aforesaid, see Figure 8. A C-shapeddrag link 48 is pivotally secured at its lower end to the outer end ofthe pneumatic cylinder piston rod 50. The upper end of the drag link 48is rigidly secured to an adjacent arm 40 of one of the aforesaid bellcrank members 38. When the pneumatic cylinder 52 is energized to drivethe piston rod 50 to the right, all bell crank arms 40 are pivoted tothe right, about their axes of rotation 54 by virtue of theirinterconnection at their lower ends to connecting links 42 by ball andsocket means 56. When bell crank arms 40 are pivoted to the right, theirassociated arms 36 are pivoted upwardly to carry the conveyor rolls 32into tangential relationship with the pass line of the entry table. Byreversing the air pressure in the two-way pneumatic cylinder 52, thepiston rod 50 is forced to the left, thereby causing bell crank arms 40to pivot to the left with the assistance of C-shaped drag link 48, andthe in-line connecting links 42.

Pairs of sprockets 41 and 43 are secured to extensions 45 of the rolls32, whereby each roll is interconnected to the roll on either side of itby means of chain drives 47 connecting sprocket 41 of one roll tosprocket 43 of the adjacent roll (see Figure 7). Motor means 49 (Figure3), are provided to power one of the roll shafts, whereby the chains 47and sprockets 41 and 43, interconnecting all of the roll shafts 45,drive all of the rolls 32 from the one power driven roll.

In order to adjust the entry table, as required by the various diametersof tube carried thereon, the frame of the table is carried on aplurality of vertically adjustable piers and, in the present instance, apair of piers 58 and 60. Each pier comprises a base 62, (see Figure 7) apair of table leg receiving sleeves 64 beneath the table on oppositesides of its vertical center line 66, and a screw jack 68 between thepair of sleeves. A pair of cylindrically shaped table legs 70 are boltedto the underside of the table frame member 28 and project downwardlytherefrom to be slidably received within adjacent sleeves 64. The screwjack 68 comprises a sleeve or well 72 in the base 62 of the pier toslidably receive a shank end 74 of a screw 76 therein. The upper portion78 of the screw 76 is threaded and the top end 80 of the screw isadapted to be placed in bearing or abutting contact with a saddle 82secured to the center underside of the frame member 28. The screw 76 isencased in a housing 84 which retains therein a worm wheel 86 suitablyjournaled against axial displacement and for threaded engagement withthe screw. A worm 88 is also journaled in the housing 84 for drivingengagement with the worm wheel 86, whereby rotation of the worm and wormwheel adjusts the screw 76 vertically up or down depending on therotation of the worm. The upper end 78 of the screw 76 is encased in anaccordion pleated rubber jacket 90 to seal the screw from dirt and thelike. The screws 76 of the said piers 58 and 60 are synchronized forinstantaneous operation by means of a common drive shaft 92 secured to aworm 88011 each end (see Figure 1). The drive shaft 92 may be I rotatedby means of a hand wheel 94 or may be motorized. Once the table is at aproper adjusted level, clamping levers 96 are provided to lock the tablelegs 70 rigidly in place.

In order to steady a tube T as it is passing into the mill stand 12, aclamp 100 (see Figures 9 and 10) is provided in combination with thetube trough 102 just in front of the entrance into the mill stand,whereby a tube contacting block 104 may be adjustably pivoted intobearing contact with the upper surface of a tube passing through thetrough. Because of the variety of sizes of tube that can be accommodatedby this tube mill, the clamping block is provided with screw adjustingmeans 106 and 108 to position the clamping block 104 with respect to thetube T.

Tube mill stand A pair of sizing rolls 14 and 16 are positioned in thetube mill stand 12 with their axes skew, the axis 112 of roll 14extending rearwardly and diverging upwardly and outwardly from one sideof the longitudinal axis 34 of the exit table 18. The axis of sizingroll 16 extends rearwardly and diverges downwardly and outwardly fromthe other side of the longitudinal axis 34 of the exit table 18 (seeFigures 2 and 4). Each sizing roll is rotatably mounted on a sizing.roll shaft 114 (see Figure 5), the entry end 116 of which is journaledin a floating or axial sliding bearing block 118. The bearing block 118is adapted to slide axially with respect to the sizing roll in alaterally adjustable saddle block 120, and the end 116 of the sizingroll shaft 114 is rotatably journaled in the bearing block 118 by meansof anti-friction bearings 122. The opposite end 124 of the shaft iscoupled to driving means 126, which will be described more fullyhereinafter, and the portion of the shaft between the sizing roll andthe end 124 is supported for rotation in anti-friction bearings 127mounted in an axially fixed bearing block 128. The bearing block 128 issecured against axial movement by pin means 130 in a laterallyadjustable saddle block 132 similar to saddle block 120. The bearingblocks 118 and 128 have a number of flats 123 (see Figure 6) spacedabout their perimeter which contact corresponding flats in the saddleblocks 119 and to prevent axial rotation.

Thus it will be seen that each sizing roll is mounted in two laterallyadjustable saddle blocks, and hence lateral adjustment of the sizingrolls is obtained by moving the pairs of saddle blocks for each rollinwardly and outwardly as required for the size of tube being rolled.The method of adjustment of the saddle blocks is more clearly shown inFigure 6 which shows roll 16 and its associated bearing block 118mounted in saddle block 120, and roll 14 with its associated bearingblock 117 mounted in saddle block 119. The saddle blocks 119 and 120 areslidably mounted in the mill stand 12 on ways 194 and 196, and 198 and200, respectively. While Figure 6 shows only the saddle block adjustmentfor the free ends of the rolls 14 and 16, it is to be under stood thatthe saddle blocks supporting the driven ends of the rolls are mounted ina similar manner. The sizing rolls 14 and 16 bear against the sides ofthe tube T, and the bottom and side portions of the tube are sup portedby a pair of vertically aligned tube supporting members 134 and 136.Tube supporting member 136 is adjustably positioned by hand wheeloperated gear means 138, mounted on the top side of the mill stand.

The saddle blocks 119 and 120 are laterally adjustable in equal andopposite directions on their respective Ways to and from the tube Tpositioned by tube supporting members 134 and 136 on the mill pass line.The means for laterally adjusting the saddle blocks 119 and 120comprises a cross shaft 202 connected by couplings 204 and 206 at itsopposite ends to cross shaft extensions 208 and 210. The cross shaftextensions are journaled in plain bearings 212 and 214, and 216 and 218,

which -are'made rigidly integral "with the mill stand 12. 'The crossShaft 202 and its extensions 208 and 210 pass laterally beneath thesizing rolls, 'and eachextension carries a pinion 220thereon. 'Apair ofgear shafts 222 and 224 are positioned -onopposite sides of the frame 12to carry a pair-of gears 226 and 228 respec- -tively. The pinions 220are'drivingly connected-to gears 226 and 228 by means of idler gears 221mounted 'on a shaft 219 rigidly secured in frame 12. Theidler gears 221also connect pinions 220 to corresponding gears adapted toadjust-thepair ofsaddle blocks at the driven end of the sizing rolls.

The innerendsof the shafts 222 and 224 are threadedly received inthreaded blocks 230 which are rigidly secured to the frame weldments.The inner ends of the shafts 222 an'd224'are adapted to be secured inabutting contact with the outside vertical sur- :faces of the saddleblocks 119 and 120 respectively.

Squared shanks 232 and 234 are provided on the free ends of the crossshaft extensions 208 and 210 to receive a turning implement thereon.Hollow caps 229 are secured to the sides of the mill stand 12 andproject outwardly therefrom to receive the ends of the shafts 222 and224 in their outwardly extended positions.

Thus, the saddle blocks may be adjusted from either side of the millstand by suitable leverage applied to either of the cross shaftextensions, whereby the pinion 220 will rotate idler gears 221 to rotategears 226 and 228 which laterally adjust the shafts 222 and 224 andtheir adjacent saddle blocks 119 and 120. It would be apparent from anexamination of Figure 6 that rotation of either shaft extension in onedirection will simultaneously shift the saddle blocks 119 and 120inwardly toward the tube mill center line 34 of the mill stand, andopposite rotation of either shaft extension will shift the saddle blockslaterally away from the tube mill center line.

It will also be evident that the angularity of the sizing rolls withrespect to the tube mill pass line may be adjusted by varying thelateral position of saddle blocks on opposite ends of sizing roll shafts114. Accordingly, as the shafts 114 expand and contract due to ambienttemperature variations, the bearing blocks 117 and 118 are free to slideaxially in the saddle blocks 119 and 120, respectively, therebyautomatically compensating for expansion and contraction of the shafts.

Sizing roll drive means Rolls 14 and 16 are connected to drive shafts140 and 142, respectively, which extend rearwardly from the mill standand diverge both horizontally and vertically in opposite directions fromthe longitudinal axis of the exit stand 34. The drive shafts 140 and 142are connected by coupling members 126 to their respective sizing rollshafts 114 so as to be in axial alignment therewith, and the ends of thedrive shafts remote from the mill stand are connected to gear reductiongear boxes 150 and 152 respectively. Motors 22 and 20 power reductiongear boxes 150 and 152 respectively and are connected thereto by driveshafts 154 and 156 which are parallel to their respective drive shafts140 and 142. This sizing roll drive eliminates the employment ofuniversal joints and out-of-line drive shafts coupled to the sizing rollshafts by the universal joint means. The present means for driving thesizing rolls constitutes a much more direct and simpler connection frommotor to sizing roll. It is also much less expensive to build andeliminates angular velocity variations in the rotation of the sizingrolls due to the peculiar inherent characteristics of universal couplingmeans. The simplest of straight couplings 126 are employed at the sizingroll ends of the drive shafts 140 and 142 and, correspondingly,couplings 160 connect the drive shafts to the gear reduction boxes sothat the axis of each roll is concentrically in line with its drivingmeans. Both the motors 20 and 22 and the reduction gear boxes 152 and150 are adjustable to compensate for i6, any necessaryadjustment'thatmust ben-rade to the positions 'of the sizing .rolls .withirespect lo*the mill stand.

Exit table The exit table 18 is in many respeetssimilarrto the entrytable 10 and comprises a frame of structural steel members .162 mountedon apair of vertically adjustable piers .-164.and 166; The structureof'the piers.164-and 166 is identical to piers 58 and 60, set forthhereinabove, and they are also in like manner connected for operation inunison by a common driveshaft 168 :andhand wheel (not shown) and,thereafter, .are locked.in;place by clamping levers 172.

.The exit table is also provided with.a series-ofltube troughs 174,which are horizontally spaced aparttto enable a series .of tubesupporting rolls 176, oneeachdobe positioned between each pairoftubelroughs. Thelrollers are mounted on'bll cranks '178'in the samemanner as described with reference to the entry table 10, with theexception that the rolls 176 are not mounted skew to the longitudinalaxis 34 of the tube mill, but rather rotate on axes 180 (Figure 4)normal to the longitudinal axis 34 of the mill. The links 42 connectingthe lower arms of the bell cranks 178 of a C-shaped drag link 182, andthe two-Way pneumatic power cylinder means 184 for actuating the draglinks, are similar in operation to the bell crank means described withreference to the entry table.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention shownherein are by way of example only and are not intended to be construedin a limiting sense. It is believed that the foregoing discussion andillustrations enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention;and that other arrangements and modifications will occur to those guidedby the teaching of this invention and may be resorted to Withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

In a tube mill having a sizing rollstand, an entry table on one side ofsaid stand, and a discharge table on the opposite side of said stand,the improvement comprising: a plurality of work supporting troughslongitudinally aligned on said entry table and spaced apart each fromthe others; a tube conveyor roll between each pair of work supportingtroughs skew to the longitudinal alignment of said work supportingtroughs; means to synchronously rotate said rolls to rotate and advancea tube into said sizing rollstand; a pair of sizing rolls journaled sideby side in said stand with their axes of rotation symmetricallydiverging both vertically and laterally from a common horizontal axis onthe discharge side of said stand; a pair of C-shaped laterallyadjustable saddles mounted in said sizing rollstand for lateraladjustment of said sizing rolls toward or away from the pass line ofsaid sizing rollstand; each sizing roll being mounted on a shaft; anaxially sliding bearing-block adapted to support one end of said shaft;a laterally adjustable saddle block adapted to support saidbearing-block, said saddle block being supported in said sizingrollstand, whereby lateral adjustment of said saddle blocks adjusts theangle of divergence between the axes of said rolls; drive shaftsconnected to the other end of each of said shafts and in axialconcentricity therewith; and motors drivingly confiiected to said driveshafts in axial alignment therewit References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 920,168 McTear May 4, 1909 965,050 TrotzJuly 19, 1910 980,187 Biggert Jan. 2, 1911 1,115,495 Brock Nov. 3, 19141,514,425 Brock Nov. 4, 1924 (Other references on following page) '7UNITED STATES PATENTS Fuller June 10, 1930 Weckstein May 2, 1933 ResserSept. 27, 1933 Anderson Oct. 17, 1933 Farmer Nov. 28, 1933 Larsen May22, 1934 Diescher June 26, 1934 Hughes Sept. 11, 1934 Drexler May 14,1935 Brown June 4, 1935 Diescher Aug. 20, 1935 Olson Oct. 15, 1935Drexler Oct. 22, 1935 Adams Feb. 4, 1936 Diescher Mar. 17, 1936 DiescherJuly 28, 1936 8 Abramsen Mar. 23, 1937 Iverson Mar. 1, 1938 AbramsenFeb. 14, 1939 Abramsen July 2, 1940 Schwerin Aug. 5, 1941 Jones Mar. 2,1943 Hight et al Aug. 20, 1946 Rozieres Oct. 14, 1952 Abramsen June 23,1953 Stiefelmayer Sept. 29, 1953 Burkhart Jan. 25, 1955 OMalley Feb. 14,1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 23, 1934 Great Britain Feb. 11,1953

